Top 10 linebackers in the final 2024 On300 rankings

On3 has released its final recruiting ranking for the 2024 class. This final update comes after the end of the high school playoffs and postseason All-American games, where top prospects across the country faced off in a week of practices and ended with nationally televised games.

Below are the top 10 linebacker recruits in the final 2024 On300 rankings:

1. Justin Williams – Georgia signee

School: Conroe (Texas) Oak Ridge
On300 Ranking: No. 9
Scouting Summary: “Justin Williams is a rangy linebacker with elite speed that makes him a near prototype at the position. Measured in at around 6-foot-2, 210 pounds prior to his senior season. Added very good weight as a junior. Owns plus length for the position with arms a shade under 33 inches. The fastest top linebacker in the combine setting in 2024. Backed that up on the track with a stellar 11.01 second mark in the 100 meters. Transfers that high-end athleticism over to the field. Originally a safety, he moved to linebacker full-time as a junior and had a very productive season, notching 105 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. Lines up as a mike backer for his high school. Shows the ability to stack and shed incoming blockers. Excels bringing down ball players from sideline to sideline and in the backfield. Flashes an elite first step and ability to close. Draws on his experience as a safety to aid in coverage and playing in space. Will need to continue adding mass and strength. A strong tackler in his first year as a linebacker but can improve the pop in his hands and overall play strength. Flashes considerable upside given his high-end combination of athleticism, length and range.

2. Sammy Brown – Clemson signee

School: Jefferson (Ga.)
On300 Ranking: No. 19
Scouting Summary: “Sammy Brown is a physically developed two-way star with an elite combination of size and athleticism. Has measured in at 6-foot-2.5 and around 230 pounds. One of the top jumbo athletes in the 2024 cycle with eye-popping marks as a sprinter. Was a state finalist in the 100 meters as a junior, consistently running in the 10.8-10.9 second range. Transfers that speed over the field where he stars as a running back and linebacker. A twitchy, fluid mover. Lines up as an inside linebacker for hi s high school. Flashes his top-end speed as an excellent pursuit defender. Runs sideline to sideline with ease. Showed improvement as a take-on defender as a junior. Closes quickly and finishes with physicality. Shows outstanding conditioning and effort level as a two-way player.

… Has the long speed to pull away from defenders in the open field as a ball carrier. Good enough to play running back at the college level. Finished his junior season with 1,459 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns and 113 tackles and 1 interception on defense. A standout wrestler in addition to his exploits on the football field and track. Won a heavyweight state title as a junior. Extremely strong in the weight room with lifts that have gone viral. Very developed physically and may be closer to his ceiling than some others who have considerable room for growth. Has not looked overly instinctive in coverage in camp settings. One of the more established prospects at the position in the 2024 cycle given his elite athletic and multi-sport profile.”

3. Chris Cole – Georgia signee

School: Salem (Va.)
On300 Ranking: No. 38
Scouting Summary: “Chris Cole is a big-framed, toolsy linebacker with some of the highest physical upside at the position in the 2024 cycle. Measured in at around 6-foot-3, 210 pounds prior to his senior season. Has a long, high-hipped build with a big frame and plus length for the position. Arms have measured at 33 inches and hand checks in at over 10 inches. Registers as a top athlete in the combine setting. Doubles as a good track athlete with some impressive marks in the 55-meter hurdles. Began his high school career as a safety before adding considerable mass and growing into a linebacker. Lines up at various spots in the back half for his high school – playing as a hang linebacker, a center field safety and creeping up to the edge.

… Experienced playing in space. Effectively uses his long arms to corral ball carriers. Lowers his shoulder and drives through his tackles. Flashes some striking power and pop on contact. Also shows solid instincts in coverage. Finished his senior season with 76 tackles and 11 tackles for loss. Also showed some encouraging coordination while playing receiver. A long-strider who can take a few steps to get up to speed. Will need to continue developing and adjusting to playing linebacker. May need time to adjust, but has considerable developmental upside.”

4. Myles Graham – Florida signee

School: Gainesville (Fla.) F.W. Buchholz
On300 Ranking: No. 56
Scouting Summary: “Myles Graham is a versatile linebacker who looks like a natural operator in space. Measured in at around 6-foot-1.5, 215 pounds as a junior. Has average length for the position. Has been a two-way player for much of his high school career, but projects as a linebacker at the next level. Transferred from Woodward Academy outside Atlanta to Buchholz High in Gainesville, Florida for his senior season. Looks like a pure off-ball backer. Has a solid all-around skill set for the position. Comfortable in space. Diagnoses and keys quickly. Takes on blocks and stacks and sheds when playing the run. Runs well and shows range in covering the flats. Has also worked as a pass rusher and blitzer off the edge. Shows his athleticism as a ball carrier on offense. Rushed for 418 yards and 18 touchdowns on just 44 carries as a senior – averaging 9.5 yards per carry and scoring a touchdown on every 2.5 totes. Son of former Florida and NFL running back Earnest Graham.”

5. Elijah Newby – USC signee

School: Cheshire (Conn.) Academy
On300 Ranking: No. 66
Scouting Summary: “Elijah Newby is among the most athletic and physically-gifted linebacker prospects in the 2024 cycle. Measured in at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds prior to his senior season. Has plus length and a big frame for the position with a 32 ⅞ inch arm and 10-inch hand. An elite athlete in the track and combine setting. Posted a 10.9 second mark in the 100 meters and 6-8 high jump as a junior – fantastic marks. Initially began as a safety before growing into a linebacker. Transfers his elite athleticism over to the field. Owns eye-popping movement skills. A twitched-up athlete who runs sideline-to-sideline with ease. Erases angles with his closing speed. Plays fast and physical. Looks to lower his shoulder and dish out contact. Also a solid tackler. Shows his athleticism as a receiver, with big-play ability. Posted 40 tackles and an interception along with four receiving touchdowns as a senior. Will need to continue adding weight and fully settle into playing linebacker but has substantial upside with his physical gifts and complementary physicality.”

6. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa – Notre Dame signee

School: Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco
On300 Ranking: No. 83
Scouting Journal: “In a position group that usually struggles to shine in All-American settings, linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa managed to put on a very strong showing during practices and the game. To say that Viliamu-Asa was flying all over the field is an understatement. His ability to trigger to the football is special. The Notre Dame signee’s ability to sniff out the play before the snap is elite. During the 9-on-7 and team periods at practice, Viliamu-Asa was playing downhill at a different speed than the rest of the defense. He was constantly bringing down ball carriers in the backfield and was beating offensive linemen to their spots in the run game. Despite the first couple practices being without pads, Viliamu-Asa was making noise and knocking helmets with ball carriers. His physicality and violence will fit right in at Notre Dame and he will be making plenty of noise in South Bend.”

7. Cole Sullivan – Michigan signee

School: Pittsburgh (Pa.) Central Catholic
On300 Ranking: No. 112
Scouting Report: “Cole Sullivan is a fantastic football player. He’s a baller. He always finds ways to affect the game. He can run sideline-to-sideline. He made some impressive plays when I going through his film. I thought he had some really impressive plays because of his instincts, range, effort level and ability to see things quickly. A guy who, if you just put him out there, he’ll make plays. He’s going to need to keep getting bigger, but man, once he gets stronger, he can be put in Michigan’s defense and be a big-time multi-year starter type.” — Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings

8. Aaron Chiles – Florida signee

School: Olney (Md.) Good Counsel
On300 Ranking: No. 124
Coaches’ Take: “Aaron Chiles is one of the unique big athletes at linebacker this class. He’s 6’2-plus, he’s 235 pounds and he is loose hip, can play in space, he’s a three-down player. He’s really bright and he comes from a winning program. They won the state championship this year. He’s a leader on that team. When you go in that school, he’s one of the special kids that has been through that program. Phenomenal family and I think he’s a good example, one of these young men that was up for the challenge and has come in here to do the work and help Gator football get back to where we all know it can be.” – Florida head coach Billy Napier

9. Brady Pretzlaff – Michigan State signee

School: Gaylord (Mich.)
On300 Ranking: No. 142
Recruiting Summary: Brady Pretzlaff was a longtime Minnesota commit, but opted to decommit from the Golden Gophers in December after changes on their coach staff. The Spartans hosted the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder for an official visit on December 8 and also hired Minnesota defensive coordinator Joe Rossi — Pretzlaff’s lead recruiter at UM — to the same position. The combination helped MSU flip the linebacker, keeping him in his home state.

10. Brian Huff – Missouri signee

School: Jonesboro (Ark.) Valley View
On300 Ranking: No. 168
Recruiting Summary: Missouri signee Brian Huff was one of the Tigers’ biggest coups in the 2024 class, beating out Notre Dame and home-state Arkansas for the nation’s No. 10 linebacker.

“Coach Drink and I are really close, too. We talk pretty often,” he told On3’s Sam Spiegelman when he committed in July. “I like the way the team bonded this weekend (I was there). They showed me that they were tight. They’re also losing a bunch of guys in their linebacker room, and I think that Missouri is a team on the come-up.”